Creeping Stranger
by PoisonPuppy
Summary: How far will Kenshin go to save the one he loves? Will he continue on his journey as a rurouni, or will he return to his past life as the legendary man slayer? Read and find out just how far he will go for his Kaoru.


Creeping Stranger

Italics- thinking to themselves

Disclaimer: I do not own Kenshin or any other characters in the series.

It was a starry night in Japan. The wind blew silently, and sent a cool breeze throughout the town. Nothing above a crickets chrip could be heard outside. Silence took over the dojo.

Kenshin was in a deep slumber, when a creaking noise outside his bedroom startled him awake. _It sounds like someone is in the dojo. I should go and check it out._

Kenshin stood and very fox like made his way to his shoji. Carefully, he slid open the shoji just enough to slip his slender body out. He tip-toed down the hall, trying hard not to make his presence know to the attacker. As he reached the corner, Kenshin pressed his back against the wall and peaked around the corner. He saw a figure lurking in the shadows. He brought his head back around the corner and took a deep breath. Spinning around the corner he began to shout.

"Alright who's in he-"

"Shhh..." a soft voice hushed him.

Kenshin squinted his eyes trying to adjust to the darkness. "Miss. Kaoru?" He whispered.  
"Kenshin, someone's outside. I heard them walking past my window."

Kenshin took a few steps closer until Kaoru came into clear view. Kaoru was holding her bokken with shaken hands. Her breathing was heavy. He could seem small beads of sweat dripping from her forehead. She was frightened.

"Kenshin, come out there with me. I don't want to go alone." She pleaded.  
"Alright, just wait right here. Let me get my sakabatou."

He left Kaoru in the dark and rushed back to his room. When he arrived there, he stood in the doorway with a dumbstruck look on his face. His sakabatou was missing. It wasn't by his futon like it normally was. He frantically tossed his things around searching for his missing weapon. _Where could it be? It didn't just get up and_- his thoughts were interrupted by the sound of screaming. He ran back past the hall to find an empty dojo.

"Miss Kaoru?" No answer. "MISS KAORU?!" He shouted. "Kenshin!" A loud shriek came from outside. _Oh no_. Kenshin darted outside. He looked around and saw nothing.

"Miss Kaoru!" He yelled "Where are you?!"

Kenshin held his hand to his ear and listened into the night. He could hear faint screams coming from the woods. He dashed into the woods, running blindly through the bushes. He stopped and looked at his surroundings. He lost sense of where he voice was coming from. Kenshin closed his eyes and inhaled a deep breath. He concentrated and used all of his body to feel Kaoru's energy. After a few seconds, Kenshin shot open his eyes and started to run in his right direction. He could hear Kaoru's screams get louder and louder. Within a few short moments, he entered a clearing. The sight he saw made his heart sink. A shadow of a man holding Kaoru up in the air by her neck.

"K..en...sh..in..." She said weakly.  
"Well, well, well...look who it is; the legendary Hitokiri Battousai. What's the matter? Can't stand to see your women squirm?"

The man was hidden by darkness, but his voice sounded so familiar to Kenshin. Kenshin took a few steps forward as did the shadowed man. Soon his face came into full view under the moonlight.

"Enishi." Kenshin growled. "Let her go or I'll-" "Or you'll what? Kill me?" Enishi snickered. "You don't have the guts! Your so...what's the word...soft."

Kenshin's eyes widened. He was at a lose for words. Enishi was right, and he was taunting Kenshin with his venomous words. But what was he to do? The woman he loved was wriggling in Enishi's hands. Kenshin clinched his fists together. He could feel his temper rising. He could feel the Battousai in his trying to escape.

"K..en...shi...n... Kaoru whispered in a weak state.  
"Let her Go!" Kenshin demanded.  
"Have it your way."

Enishi tightened his grip around Kaoru's neck. He arched his arm back, and threw Kaoru with all his force into a bolder. Kenshin heard cracking as dust flew everywhere. He could feel Kaoru's anguish and pain. He sprinted towards Kaoru only to be stopped dead in his tracks by Enishi. Kenshin reached at his side only to discover that nothing was there. _Shit. I don't have my sakabatou._

"Hey Battousai, missing something?" Enishi tauntingly held up Kenshin's weapon. Kenshin's eyes gleamed. _What am I to do?_ Kenshin began to panic. He looked over at Kaoru and saw her laying motionless on that ground. His eyes darted back at Enishi.

"What do you want?" Kenshin yelled.  
"What do I want? I want revenge! You took away the only person that I loved! You killed my sister! I want you to feel the same crushing pain I have. I will destroy all that you love! I want you to die! The only way for you to save your precious woman is to fight!"

Enishi tossed Kenshin's sakabatou into the forrest. He began to remove his gi. "I plan on killing you with my bear hands. One on one Battousai. Like I said before" Enishi took a fighting stance. "If you want to save her, you have to fight!"

Kenshin's heart raced. He knew something had to be done. But what? He was no longer a fighter. As hard as it was, he was slowly making peace with all his wrong doings in the past. Yet still, he had to save Kaoru. But how could he concentrate on fighting when she was on his mind? Kenshin looked at the ground and clenched his fist. He raised his hand and removed his gi.

"Alright Enishi...one on one." He said boldly. Before Kenshin could even look up, Enishi was in hot pursuit of him. Enishi Elbowed Kenshin in the face, sending him to fly backwards. Kenshin sat up slightly and felt his lip. Blood slowly trickled out of it. Through his semi-blurred vision he could see Enishi running toward him. He quickly rolled to his left, right before Enishi slammed his fist into the ground. Kenshin punched him in his head, right before kneeing Enishi in the face. Enishi regained his stance and held his nose. When he removed his hands from his face, he saw a great deal of blood. Enishi knew his nose was broken.

"Your going to pay dearly for that!"

Enishi rushed Kenshin and got him on the ground. He began to wail on Kenshin with every bit of his being. Kenshins eyes bugged out of his head with every painful blow Enishi sent his way. As quickly as he could he kneed Enishi in the back. When Enishi sat up Kenshin punched him in the stomach, causing Enishi to roll off to the side. Kenshin stood up and ran a few feet away. _I can't do this. Kaoru needs me. I have to end this soon._

Kenshin began to look around for something to hit Enishi with. He didn't care if it was a fair fight or not. Kaoru needed him. He wasn't about to let another person he loved die because of him. He rush around in a quick circle. To his right was an object. He picked it up and realized it was Kaoru's bokken. The downfall was, it was broken. It would have to work. Enishi slowy made his was to his feet. Kenshin took his fighting stance. He cleverly hid the broken bokken behind him. He had to time it just perfectly, so that Enishi would never know what his him.

Enishi was now enraged with anger. He saw red. He turned around to see Kenshin, ready to fight. In a blind rage, he darted toward Kenshin with lightening speed. Kenshin took a step back. _Wait for it. Almost...NOW!_ Kenshin leaned back and with all his strength he lunged the bokken into Enishi's stomach.

All stood still for a few seconds. Very slowly, Enishi's body fell onto Kenshin. Kenshin began to sweat profusely. _Did I kill him? Oh kami, please no._ Kenshin heard a chuckle on his shoulder.

"It'll take...a lot more than that...to kill me...you bastard." Enishi was practically whispering.

Kenshin saw this as a chance to check on Kaoru. He let Enishi's heavy body fall onto the ground and ran towards Kaoru. She was lying on her stomach. Kenshin bent down, and slowly turned her over. Blood was on the side of her head and face. She stirred and opened her eyes.

"Miss. Kaoru, don't move." Tears pricked Kenshins eyes and ran down his face.  
"Kenshin..."she said quietly. She placed her shaky hand on his cheek and smiled. Kenshin grabbed her hand and kissed it.  
" Are you alright?" He asked.  
"I hurt...everywhere." Kaoru winced in pain. "But I think...I will be...ok."

"Miss. Kaoru, I was so afraid-" Kenshin held her hand tightly "afraid that I had lost you. Ai shiteru Kaoru." He kissed her hand.  
"Ai shiteru Kenshin."  
"Let's go home." Kenshin swooped Kaoru up in his arms and slowly started for home. Before he exited the brush, Kenshin stopped and set Kaoru down against a tree. "Kaoru, will you be alright for a moment? I want to get my sakabatou." Kaoru nodded graciously and closed her eyes to relax.

Kenshin walked through the bushes, pushing away branches and leaves. He scouted the plants, until he saw a shimmer in on the ground. He bent down a retrieved his prize. He stood up with his sakabatou in his hand, and smiled proudly. His quick victory soon ended, when he heard a horrifying gasp. He bushed his way back through the bushes, only to see a heart wrenching sight. Enishi was leaning on Kaoru. She had a twisted look on her face. Blood trickled out of her mouth. Enishi feel to the ground dead, revealing Kaoru pinned against the tree with the broken bokken lodged into her stomach. Her body gave and dangled from the bokken.

" KAORU!"

He rushed to Kaoru with tears in his eyes. He was choking on his own breath. He pulled the bokken out of her stomach. Her body fell into Kenshin's arms.  
"Kaoru...no. Please don't die." He begged.  
She was breathing very lightly. Within seconds, she was dead. Streams of tears rolled down his face. He cuddled Kaoru's body into his chest.  
"Please...come back. KAORU!" He bellowed.

He set her body down and looked at his chest and legs. Most of his body was drenched in blood. His eyes widened. He began to scream.

"No. This can't be happening. No...No..." He cried. Off in the distance he heard a voice. "Kenshin...Kenshin..." It was so far away. Kenshin covered his ears and continued to scream. He started to stagger from side to side. The voice got a little louder. "Kenshin...Kenshin..." Kenshin fell to his knees. He felt the earth spin around in circles. He closed his eyes as his body began to shake.

"Kenshin! Kenshin!"

Kenshin sat up and yelled. "KAORU!" When he opened his eyes, it pitch black. He was sitting in a pool of sweat and was panting loudly. He was in his room. Things were a bit blurry at first, but soon everything came into focus. He felt a pair of arms cradling him. He looked next to him and saw Kaoru. She looked worried.

"Kenshin, it's ok. I'm here now." She held him tighter. Kenshin melted into her arms. He slowly began to relax; gripping onto Kaoru's arms for dear life.

"Kenshin, what were you dreaming about?" Kaoru questioned. "You...you were dead." Kenshin started to cry. "You were dead." He whimpered into her chest.

"Shhh...it's ok." Kaoru stroked his hair. "I'm here now." She sounded so calm and sweet.

Kenshin picked up his head and looked Kaoru in her eyes. "Kaoru, Ai shiteru. I have for a long time now. I swear to kami that I will tell you that every single day we are together. I will never let anything happen to you." He vowed. He took Kaoru into his arms and held her close as he quietly cried.

"Ai shiteru Kenshin." Kenshin pulled away and smiled as he lost himself in Kaoru's dazzling eyes.

"I've waited so long to say that to you, and I've always hoped you would say it back." Kenshin looked lovingly into Kaoru's eyes, and pulled her in closer to him. His lips met hers and he took her in for a passionate kiss. When she pulled back, Kaoru smiled.

"Kaoru, would you please sleep in here with me tonight. I don't want to be away from you ever."

"Kenshin, I'll never leave your side."

She laid down next to him and started to stroke his face lightly. _I know your close to me Kaoru, but you'll never be close enough_. Kenshin held Kaoru tightly in his arms. He drifted to sleep while feeling Kaoru's soft touch and invigorating scent of cherry blossoms.


End file.
